Improvement in harvesters



rsAAo-n. PALMER, or LODI, wisconsin.

IMPROVEMENT |N HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 83,304, dated October 720, '1868.

I To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Y drawing, which is made a part of this specification, and in which my improvement is represented.

Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a rear elevation; Fig. 3, a separate view.

In this invention the platform upon which l the grain is delivered by the reel is placed directly behind the cutter, and is tilted at every revolution of the reel or of one of the draftwheels,`so as to deliver the sheaf upon the .ground and set the platform again to receive another sheaf.

In the drawings, Aindicates the main frame of the harvester, B being the draft-pole, C the drivers seat, D D' D the draft-wheels, E E standards supporting the reel, F the reel, G G pulleys or rag-wheels, and H an' endless chain running upon them, by which the reel is operated from the axle of one of the draftwheels; I, the cutter or sickle bar, and J a concave table, constructed with side boards K- K, and situated directly-behind and in contact with the rear edge of the sickle-bar, upon which the grain falls as -it is severed by the sickle. This table is attached at its sides to two frame-timbers, L L, which extend longitudinally with the machine from its forward end to a point severalfeet in the rear of the frame A, and which serve to support not only the concave table J, but also a platform, M, directly behind such table, and a stand, T, upon which an assistant can ride and attend to the binding of the sheaves.

The main features of the invention consist in the construction and operation of the platform M, in connection with the reel F or the wheel D, andwhich V"will now be more particularly described.

The plan ofthe platform presents a kidneyform appearance, the main body of it, a, lying transversely across the machine, behind the table J, and-'the Aextremities a a proj ectingoutward and backward from the supporting-frame. One of these extremities, `,isan independent piece, attached rmly to the beam L along the line l. The rest of the platform is in one piece, pivoted on the beam L, or on a roller, c, supported by said beam, so that it can be tilted on such pivot till Vit assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. The inncrportion of the platform being longer and heavier than the end c', the platform falls to a horizontal position by its own weight whenever the force that raises it is removed, its inner end resting upon the beam L' or upon the piece a. The platform thus constructed is provided either with an arm, m, at the inner end of the pivoted part, or with a short arm, m', just outside of the pivot e. Whenlthe arm m is employed it is designed to be caughtby a projecting plate, N, attachedto the reel, and to be lifted by this plate until the sheafslidesoff and falls upon the ground,`when the Vplate drops the pivoted piece, and the latter falls by its own weight to its original position. The plate N may be curved, as shown at n 'n n, to facilitate the lifting of the platform. When the other construction is employed a lever, O, is used to press down the arm m and raise the platform, the lever itself being actuated by a pin or pins projecting inward from the wheel D. A lock, I), may be employed to fix the lever in any position required, and, when going to or returning from the field, to prevent the unnecessary lifting of the platform at every revolution of the wheel. It may also be used to prevent the platform from being tilted at every revolution Vof the reel or wheel when it is desirable that it should not be raised so often.

The reel F is enabled by this construction of the machine to answer the purpose both of a reel for binding the grain back and causing it to fall on thevconcave table and of a rake for delivering it from the table to the platform AM, at the proper'intervals, for binding. All the cross-pieces f f N R act against the grain Three of them, f j

for the former purposes. N, pass over the cut grain on the table without sweeping it off, they being attached to short arms or spokes s s s, which allow them thus to operate; but the fourth cross-piece, It, is wider than the others, or is attached to a longer pair of arms, s s', and is pivoted with rake-teeth r r r, so that at every revolution ATENT Orf-'Fioril of the real it sweeps the whole surface of the table, delivering all the cut grain that has fallen upon it to the platform M, where the assistant can bind it in sheaves, or allow it to be thrown upon the ground in bunches suitable for binding subsequently.

The reel is not limited to four sets of arms and cross-pieces, but may be provided with any number, according to its size. A

The Whole apparatus is exceedingly simple, and operates to great advantage, enabling the constructor to greatly reduce the dimensions of the machine, and, by dispensing with an independent raking attachment, to reduce materially the cost of its construction.

ISAAC H. PALMER. Witnesses:

NATHAN K. ELLsWonTH, GHAs. A. Pn'r'rrr. 

